Prodigous Child
by Airyckah-Nyckole
Summary: HBP compatible. 15 years forward. Hermione and Sirius are left after her rape to deal with a son that is not Sirius’s. Could this child be the end of Harry Potter? And why? HGSB. R&R people please.
1. I: Hermione

_**Prodigious Child**_

Summary::_ HBP compatible. Fifteen years in the future. Hermione and Sirius are left after her rape to deal with a son that is not Sirius's. Could this child be the end of Harry Potter? And why?_

**Prodigious**_** as defined in**__ Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary__** circa 1980:**_Being an omen.

_**Chapter One**_

His name was Lucas Granger-Black. There's not a lot really to say about him. He was Sirius's son… even if not by blood.

When I was nineteen, a newly graduate from Hogwart's school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, HE came back. On December 5th, to be exact. By the time I was twenty, I had broken up with Ronald and was openly seeing him. Then, on the two year anniversary of his return, when I was twenty one, I became Hermione Granger-Black.

Two months later, our "perfect" lives were shattered. I was taken by the Death Eaters. I was raped and tortured continuously; and not by anyone. But You Know Who specifically. When I was finally rescued, I was pregnant. And not with Sirius's child, either.

--

"This is the first time in eleven years that we've had the house to ourselves, 'Mione." With a smile I nodded. Lucas was gone to Hogwarts. Sirius's smile was huge, his eyes dancing. His black hair was cut shorter than it had been when we had first met. And he looked younger. Thanks to a certain potion, Sirius looked as though he had never been in Azkaban. Though by number he was fifty-four now, he looked to be only mid thirties, around the same age I was.

I sipped at my coffee. I was slightly worried about Lucas… how could I not be? I was his mother, after all. And the threat of Voldemort was still strong. The war had been raging for years, and thought I knew that Voldemort knew nothing about Lucas, it didn't do anything to calm me.

"Don't worry about him, he'll be fine." I averted my eyes from my drink, meeting Sirius's.

"I know," I whispered. Then I rolled my eyes, embarrassed. "I made Remus promise to keep both eyes on him." Sirius grinned. He reached out, stretching his arms. "What are we supposed to do?" I asked.

"Well… I really don't know… What is there to do?" I shrugged.

"I've gotten so used to revolving my time around Lucas, I don't know what to do now that he's not here." I giggled. And I had promised I'd never be a stay at home mom. So much for that! "I really worry about him, you know… I can't help but wonder, what if _he_ finds out about him?"

I stood up and carried my coffee mug to the sink, rinsing it out. "He'll be _fine_, 'Mione. How is Remus, by the way? It's been a while since I've talked to the old wolf," said Sirius, a lame attempt at making conversation. I had it on good authority that two nights before, the last night before he left for his Professor's job at Hogwarts, him and Sirius got piss drunk and sat around in Remus's living room muttering nonsense.

"Don't even pretend, I know about Monday night, honey." I set the coffee cup down beside the sink upside down, indicating that it was clean. "He's been looking a lot better nowadays, though, I must say." I said, resting back against the counter, my hands resting atop of it.

"Any better than your dear old husband, Love?" asked Sirius, coming towards me in a few short steps. I giggled as he lifted me off of the floor, setting me down on the counter. I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his gently.

"Of course not, my dear," I replied, our lips still touching. He smirked, and we stood there for a few moments, just glad to be this close to each other.

"Hmm…" he hummed against my lips. "What would you like to do today then, Love?" I shrugged and pulled away. Then I raised an eyebrow.

"I wonder…"

--

I pressed myself closer to Sirius, desperate to fell his warm skin. Though it had been a while since we had had sex, it still felt beyond natural to lay with him, our naked bodies touching gently. He was whispering in my ear, but I was distracted by the cold kitchen linoleum on my back. Finally I turned to Sirius, interrupting him.

"This war has been raging for over thirty years, Sirius. Over thirty years. I never wanted to bring up a child around this. And Lucas is stuck right in the middle of it. I fear for him so much… I fear for him more that I've ever feared for myself… So what if Harry is the Dark Lord's arch enemy? _My son is the Dark Lord's son_… I don't know what to do." I shed a tear, burying my face in the crook of Sirius's neck.

"Hermione…" When I heard him say my name, I looked up. He rarely called me Hermione… he mainly stuck to 'Mione, so I knew he was being serious. "Love… He is going to be fine. He may be Voldemort's son by blood, but he is also _your_ son by blood… and I raised him… That is what a true father is. Lucas is a lot stronger than the both of us, Love."

"That's not it, though. I cannot help but think that if someone, namely Harry, saw Lucas as a danger, he would kill him." I could feel Sirius's heartbeat quicken, and knew that he had a fear a lot like mine. I voiced this.

He nodded. "Harry… is not really Harry anymore. I know that he _will _do whatever it takes to stop Voldemort, to thwart his plans. Even if it means killing an eleven year old… His best friend's son no less. So yes, I do fear the same as you."

I rolled on top of Sirius, resting myself on my arms on either side of his head. My long, tamed, brown curls drew as a curtain around our two heads, and Sirius looked up at me. His strong, silver eyes kept my gaze. I tilted my head a little bit, and lowered my lips to meet his. His hands instinctively rose to my hair, pulling me closer. I gently broke the kiss, resting my forehead against his. We both were breathing heavily, and my eyes were closed. I could still feel Sirius's eyes, though.

"I love you," he whispered. "I love you more than you will ever know." I nodded, pushing myself up off of him. I grabbed his T-shirt off the floor and pulled it over my head. It was, obviously, too big, but it covered me up. Sirius pulled on his jeans and walked towards me. They hung dangerously low on his hips, and I smiled. By looking at us, no one would even assume that we were married with an eleven year old son or that Sirius was a fifty something… most likely someone would think that we were early thirties and newly married.

When he stepped within my reach I poked my fingers through the belt loops of his backs and pulled him close to me. His arms went around my back, and our lips met roughly. Though we were usually gentle with each other, sharing soft kisses and slow caresses, we both quite often found ourselves wanting something a bit more, and I found a kind of comfort in the roughness and ruggedness that we shared between each other sometimes. And after the gentle love making session we had just shared and our short, but serious, conversation, I knew that what we both wanted right then was just _sex_.

When I my back hit the kitchen counter behind me, Sirius pushed himself flush against me, pushing me harder into it as he pulled me into his body. We finally broke apart, he sucked in a mouthful of air, but did not pull away from me. I was still being pushed roughly into the counter, my fingers through the buckle loops on his jeans. He pressed his forehead against mine again, sighing almost silently. I licked my lips, and he gave me one more light kiss before he pulled away, releasing my from my cage between him and the counter. I closed my eyes as my fingers slipped away from him and my arms fell to my side.

"We should wait a bit before we go at it again," he said with a grin. "I'm not as fit as I once was."

As he started to walk away, I playfully slapped him on the bum. "You look pretty fit to me, hon." He jumped, surprised, and I grinned as he left the room. I stayed where I was for a moment, then followed him, smiling. He walked up the stairs, and into our bedroom. When I had entered the room, he had disappeared into the private bathroom.

"Are you going to join me?" He asked, poking his head around the door. I nodded silently, and I could hear the water start. I walked into the bathroom. We stood there for a moment, both silent, both staring at each other. After a few minutes I closed the door, and stood with my back against it. Finally, long after the room had started to heat up from the steaming water in the shower, Sirius took three slow steps toward me. He took the hem of my shirt and lifted it slowly, letting his hands run over my skin as he did so.

He pulled the shirt over my head and it dropped to the ground. He crushed his lips into mine, pressing me into the door behind me. Struggling to think clearly, I reached down to the button on his jeans, fumbling with it until I got it apart. His trousers fell down around his ankles, and he stepped out of them, lifting me into the air. I wrapped my legs around his hips, and my arms around his neck. He stumbled towards the shower, carefully stepping into the tub to be sure he didn't slip. I didn't understand why he had such a sense of what he was doing… of _control_. When I was around him, I couldn't think. After nearly fifteen years, he still drove me crazy. I loved being with him, and I loved being _with _him… and when we were alone I always lost that sense of self-control I had kept so well in my teenage years. Right then was no different.

"Hermione…" He whispered my name huskily, moving his lips away from my swollen mouth to my neck, kissing my throat gently. He pressed me against the shower wall, the steaming water pouring over us. He bit my collarbone playfully before moving down to my breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth. I moaned deeply, my head hitting the wall as it lolled back. I could feel his erection, and I reached down and grabbed his waist, holding myself up and guiding him towards me. He entered me slowly, and we became wrapped up in each other. We held each other as close and tightly as we could. My head was still back, my eyes closed, and Sirius's forehead was in my neck. I rolled my hips, eager for him to move, and he listened.

We moved perfectly in sync with each other in a rhythm that is ours alone. I love the feeling of him being close to me, and I grip his shoulders tightly, my nails breaking the skin. Small amounts of blood are washed away by the steaming water that falls over us. His lips find mine, almost desperately, and I moan into his mouth. He growls in response, a soft, sexy sound that makes my lips curl into a tiny grin.

We came together, breathing hard, and he pressed my back against the wall to help hold me up. I untangled my legs, lowering them to the ground slowly, and tried to support my own weight. My knees almost gave away, and I held onto Sirius for support, my nails still dug into his skin. He pulled me back under the showerhead, my hair finally getting wet. We kissed again gently, and I whispered into his ear even more softly.

"I love you." He nodded, hugging me tighter. We never said I love you in a response to an I love you, it always felt… forced, as though if you didn't say it in your own time, at your own time, you didn't mean it.

We finally both showered off, and after we had slipped out of the shower crawled under the covers of our bed. After a while of silence, I finally spoke.

"Sirius… What would you think of me going back to work?" Sirius raised his eyebrows, a reaction I had slightly expected. Before I had been kidnapped, twelve years ago, I had finished at the Auror academy and was one of the best Aurors that the Ministry had. I had been dragged into the job mainly because I had wanted to make the biggest impact on the war that I could, to bring a stop to it. I had wanted to try to save Harry, but I had failed. When I had been captured, it had started, I think. Harry was distant when I returned, Harry was different. Harry was gone. I had failed to save him. When he had taken off, he had left us all behind; even Ginny, with a ring on her finger and the promise that he would be back soon. Years later, we hardly heard from him.

Anyhow, I had taken a leave after my return, and after Lucas had been born, I had just never seen the point in going back.

"Are… Are you sure that you are ready to go back?" Sirius's fingers entwined through mine. I nodded.

"It's been twelve years, Sirius. I _want_ to go back. Do you think they will let me?"

"You were the best Auror they'd had in a long time." He closed his eyes, leaning toward me. "I'm sure they'd die to have you back. But I'm just… worried about _you_." He closed his eyes, and I gently kissed his cheek.

"I'll be fine. I want to do this."

"Then I think you should."

--

_A.N::_

_Kind of short, I know… I hope you enjoy it so far. For the beginning of this chapter I thought that it was important to show every aspect of the relationship between Hermione and Sirius strongly. From trust between the two to the intimate relationship. Anywho, review and let me know what you think. If I don't get very many reviews, I might not continue. Thanks._

_The next chapter is going to be from Lucas's point of view. Chapters will be from different point of views, but the main one will be Hermione as this story is mainly about her._

_Ciao_

_Airyckah-Nyckole_


	2. II: Lucas

Chapter II

Nervous. The one word that could describe how I felt the moment my parents were lost from my site. I was beyond nervous; I was border lining hyperventilation.

Not wasting a moment in the hallways of the train, I sought out an empty cab; or as close as I could get. A young girl, who could only be my age, sat beside the window, her forehead resting against the cool glass. I struggled to pull my trunk in and close the door, and she eyes me curiously.

"Hi." Her voice was young and joyful, and it bounced happily as she spoke to me. "Are you a first year?"

I nodded silently, looking at her closely. She had black hair, dark enough to rival mine, and her eyes were a brilliant, emerald green, almond shaped eyes that dug like knives when she looked at me. She wore a black cloak, her Hogwarts clothing already, and her hair was long and wavy, blending into the black cloak. I hardly heard what she said next.

"I'm Pandora Parkinson. Who are you?" I snapped back into reality, answering her.

"I'm Lucas Black." I looked around the cab. "You wouldn't mind… would you?" She shook her head, so I continued with struggling to pull my trunk through the door. "Parkinson," I said, as I did so, "That name is familiar…"

"Well," she asked, "Are your parents Sirius and Hermione Black?" I nodded. "My mom went to Hogwarts with your mom. My mom was a Slytherin. Pansy Parkinson. Or Malfoy, now." She turned back to the window. "She married Draco Malfoy." Now _that _ was a name I knew.

"Why don't you have the Malfoy name?" I asked, curious. She raised an eyebrow. "Inquisitive?" She smiled politely. "Draco is my stepfather. My mom had me before they were married, a full two years before they were married. My mother didn't want me to have that name – that curse. She let me keep Parkinson." Her grin widened. "You're wondering who my father is."

I nodded, silent, again. She intrigued me; she wasn't scared to talk about herself, and knew what I was wondering when I was too nervous to say anything.

"I don't know. My mother won't tell me. All I know is that he was a Gryffindor when they were in Hogwarts. So, because of that, I want to be in Gryffindor, as much as Draco wants me in Slytherin.. 'Live up to the family name, even though I don't have it'. I really do hate him."

"I want to be in Gryffindor too. Almost everyone I know was…" I sat on the bench across from her. She tucked her black hair in behind her ears.

"Well, Lucas Black," she said, smiling. "If we happen to both make it to Gryffindor, I think there is the chance we could become great friends."

_A.N._

_Just a bit more introduction. Pandora will become a very important character, for many reasons, so I thought it was good to meet her first through Lucas's point of view. _

_Also, my apologies for taking as long as I did to complete and post this short chapter. I have had a lot happening and have been quite busy. Hopefully I shan't take that long again with a chapter, especially one of inferior size like this one. _

_Please, Review to help motivate me with Chapter Three._

_Ciao, With Love,  
Airyckah.Nyckole_


	3. III: Lucas

A/N;; The past two chapters were like.. a split prologue, of sorts. Now is when the story really kind of starts. Hope you enjoy )

Chapter Three: Lucas

_**Five years Later**_

I stared out the window of the common room, off of the tower and onto the grounds. My mind wandered aimlessly, recognizing the figures that speckled the green grass of the courtyard.

"Oi, Lucas. You alright?" Pandora dropped down on the window sill beside me, a hand on my shoulder. "You seem…" She shrugs her words away, waiting for me to answer.

"I'm fine," I replied, my dark eyes meeting her own pale eyes.

Five years had passed since our first meeting on the train, our first year at Hogwarts. Her words on the train had stuck with me these years, and they had proven true, but mainly do her insistence to be near me. Which didn't bother me; I could be very outgoing, but only when people knew me, and I wasn't going to go out and try to make friends with random people. So someone coming and wanting to by _my_ friend? Well that made my life a lot easier.

I had told my mother and father about Pandora, but I always failed to mention her last name, and her parents.

Damn my forgetfulness. I'm sure they'd be jumping at the idea of me being best friends with Draco Malfoy's stepdaughter.

But I didn't care who her stepfather was. After I had gotten to know her, I was more than happy for her to be my best friend. She was energetic, anything but shy, beyond hilarious, and not to mention probably as smart as my mother.

Oh. And how could I forget how much she had grown over the years?

Her hair had grown to suit her height every year. Long, wavy curls of a beautiful luscious jet black. She had lost the little bit of baby fat she had had. Her face had thinned out just enough to fit the bone structure of her face; accentuating her already definite features.

It was good to be back at Hogwarts, and back with her. Three months was too much to be apart after the other nine being spent together.

"Want to go for a walk? Looks like a nice day. We could take a stroll down the beach." I nodded my response, starting to stand. We started on our way, and even before we reached the lakeside Pandora was pounding with my questions pertaining to my unusually silent behavior. "What's wrong, Luke? You've hardly said anything since the supper."

"Nothing's wrong, I'm fine."

"Lucas Granger-Black! I know you… I can tell that something is up." I couldn't help but grin at her persistence. That was one thing that had never changed about Pandora, ever since that first time I met her on the Hogwart's Express at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. She was as pushy now as she had been that day, pushing her friendship on me.

"Really, Pandora…" But the moment I looked up to meet her green eyes I couldn't lie to her. She always had had that effect on me, which got rather annoying. "Well… I'm just worried about my mom. I mean, when she went back to work in our first year, I was happy. I thought it would be good for her. But now, I just.. I don't know. My dad says he's starting to get worried too. She's never home, and dad says she's not even at work when she's not." I sighed. "And, I mean, I'm sixteen. I kinda feel bad saying this, but I can kind of recognize.. well, I think she might be having an affair."

Pandora looked at me for a moment, then started laughing. "Lucas, I'm sorry, but… Let's face it. This is Hermione Granger-Black we are talking about. She is the single most loyal person on the planet. I mean, she has faced death to stick by Harry Potter so many times, and you think she is having _an affair_?"

I realized Pandora was right. It _was _my mother… She'd never. But at that moment, Pandora still slightly giggling to herself, I also realized how beautiful she looked; her pale skin glowing, her eyes twinkling, and her black hair falling down her shoulders. I shook the thought away, though, at least as best I could, when she asked me what was wrong.

"No-nothing," I said, quickly looking away.

"Think we should head in?" She asked taking my hand. I simply nodded, it was all I could do; her skin against mine set my hand on fire.

As we headed into the castle, I couldn't help but laugh at the idea of my mother having an affair.

--

A/N _short, I know. There are going to be some short chapters in here, but hopefully none to many will be._

_And please, review!_

_Ciao, _

_Airyckah.Nyckole_


	4. IV: Hermione

Chapter IV: Hermione.

I got the letter from Lucas at about six o'clock; just as I was packing up to head home from the Ministry. I read through it quickly, unsurprised to see Pandora's name every couple of sentences. I sighed, folding the letter up and sliding it into my pocket.

Pandora. The mysterious girl who had been in the root of every letter I had gotten from my son since his first year at Hogwarts. Until this summer, I didn't even know her last name. Mind you, Lucas didn't tell. I took the initiative to find out for myself. I asked Danae Weasely; Ron and Lavender's daughter. She was only a year younger than Lucas, and I hoped she would know.

"Of course I know Pandora," she had told me. "Pandora is a Parkinson; Pansy Malfoy's daughter. She's not Draco's, though; she doesn't know who her blood father is." For a moment I felt totally panicked.

This had the potential to be bad; very bad. Draco… Draco wasn't good. Draco was a _Death Eater_…

Danae must have seen the panic, because she was quick to add, "But Pandora is as gentle as a kitty cat. She has very little in common or to do with her step father; she is a Gryffindor, after all."

Which had comforted me. But I still hadn't told Sirius; I knew that he would probably panic a lot more than me. This was our child; our son. The only child I could have, because of complications during his birth, too.

I pushed the thoughts away as I flooed home, glad the day was over. Sirius greeted me in the kitchen with a soft kiss, and I sat back as he finished preparing our supper.

"So how was your day?"

I groaned, sinking back into my chair. "Two raids. Two, Sirius! Things are getting so out of hand… We raided Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy for the third time today. _Three times_, Sirius." I leaned, hiding my face in my palms. "It really makes me realize that I am – _we are_ in the middle of a _war_, and that there is _no one _you can trust."

He set a plate of food down in front of me, sitting across from me. But I only picked at my food as he ate.

"What's wrong, Hermione?"

I sighed. Everything was wrong. I wasn't supposed to tell Sirius… But I mean. This was _Sirius_. I _had_ to tell him.

"Sirius. The Ministry has been hiding things…"

"Hermione, I know. I work with you, remember?"

"No. No; I mean from _you_. There are things that only I and Kingsley know. Oh, Sirius… I hated myself from keeping it from you. But the Ministry is thinks, even given your history; because you are simply a Black by blood you will betray us all.

"Of course Kingsley doesn't, but that doesn't change what the rest of the Ministry believes. Kingsley still has to be on their good side." I stood from my chair and moved around the table and kneeled so I was in front of him. "Bellatrix and Snape are still alive, Sirius. They are under more security than any other prisoners. They aren't even being held in Azkaban."

"Bell- Bella is supposed to be _dead_, Hermione. She was supposed to be executed."

"She is _too valuable_, Sirius, and you know it. The information we could get from her and Snape? For God's sake, they were his two right hand followers."

"Bella is a raving _maniac_ and Snape… Snape killed Dumbledore, Hermione."

"I know, Sirius. But you don't know something else about that, too.

"Even after Snape killed Dumbledore and ran, I was _so certain_ we didn't know the whole story. And we _don't._ Well, you don't, I do, now.

"Voldemort had wanted _Draco_ to kill Dumbledore. Snape told this to Dumbledore; and then was forced to promise Narcissa that he would do whatever it took to _complete_ Draco's mission, if he failed. Dumbledore said he saw his time was drawing near to a close, and he would rather Draco's young innocence not be broken. So he asked for _Snape_ to do the deed, if the time ever came. They did it to secure the fact that someone _good _was on that side."

Sirius frowned, staring at me for a moment. "First, I don't believe it. Second, if he is, why don't you let him go, and tell everyone what happened? He would be a hero!"

"In case we need to get a spy back to that side." It did make perfect sense, and I knew that Sirius would understand, without a doubt. But now that I had started telling him, I needed to finish, with everything. "Sirius. We are hoping to send him back in. Soon. But… They want to… send me too. With him. As a spy."

I saw his immediate reaction, and knew he didn't approve in the smallest. Of course he wouldn't, but I couldn't say no to this mission. "You can't!" He cried, standing.

"Sirius. I _have_ to. If I say no, I'll have to give an explanation. I can't just as well walk into the Ministry and tell them that I, Hermione Granger, Muggleborn witch, have given birth and raised the Dark Lord's _son_. You don't know what they would do to Lucas!"

"You don't know what _they _will do to _you_. Wait, yes you do! They will _kill you_!"

"Better me than _my_ son!" I screamed, and walked away.

*

Sirius found me an hour later, crawled into bed with a book. I lay over the sheets, wrapped warmly in a black silk wrap-around. I let my book fall to my lap.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, leaning against the doorframe.

I sighed. "I am too. I'm sorry I screamed at you like that." I closed the book, setting it on the coffee table. "It's just. I think I have to do this. Really. If you're mad I understand. But all I'm trying to do is protect Lucas." I slid off the bed, walking towards Sirius. "It's going to be dangerous. I know. I also know that Voldemort is desperate to find a spy. I know he would gladly accept me, even though I am a muggleborn, because he _needs_ someone on the inside, and he knows how close I am to Harry."

I ran my hands over his chest, the thin fabric of his v-neck t-shirt wrinkling under my fingers. "Let me make tonight up to you," I whispered, leaning up to kiss him on the lips.

I turned away, leading him back to the bed, our hands entwined.  
*

The note landed on my desk, nearly silently. "Hermione, report to my office as soon as possible, Kingsley."

With a sigh, I crumpled it, dropping it into the rubbish bin beside my desk, and left for Kingsley Shacklebolt's office in a rush. It had to be something of importance.

"Hermione, thanks for being so fast."

"Of course. Why did you want to see me?"

Kingsley shut the door behind Hermione with a wave of his wand, and his voice dropped as he spoke in a near-whisper. "Hermione, something has come up. We are going to go forth with the plan effective immediately. We need to stage an escape and a kidnapping."

"My kidnapping?" I asked, just to be sure. He nodded.

"Let's get to it then."

*

A/N:  
Yes, it has been a while. But here we go again. I got a few chapters brewing up at last. I hope I still have some readers out there. My apologies.  
-Airyckah.


	5. V: Lucas

"Lucas Black, please come with me." I craned my head to the door when I heard my name. Standing, holding the oak door open only enough to fit her head through the crack, I first saw the tall, pointed hat of Professor Minerva McGonagall, and then her pale face came into view as I moved my head to look around Sarah Finnegan's head. Her lips were tight as her eyes narrowed in on me. "Come quickly now, Lucas. Bring your books."

I stood slowly, my mind reeling. What was going on? What possibly could have happened to make her come and pull me out of the middle of Defence Against The Dark Arts (my favourite class, because Remus taught it,) simply to talk to me?

I gathered my books and, at a nearly crawling pace, made my way to the door. Professor McGonagall grabbed my arm, urging me to hurry, and led me down the hallways, down one flight of stairs, rather quickly until we made it to the large gargoyle that stood in front of her door.

"_Marcesus,_" she said, quietly, and the gargoyle twisted around, revealing a spiral staircase.

Her office was one I had seen the walls of many times before, for numerous reasons, be it I was in trouble, (which I found a lot of; it was in my blood,) or that my mother had sent me to have tea with the Headmistress.

"Have a seat, Luke." I took to sitting on the red velvet chair facing her desk. "Your father sent me a letter today. And attached with it was one that he wanted me to give to you personally." Her voice was quiet, calm, but that was a mask, I could tell. I had seen my mother speak with the same tone may times before, mainly when she was discussing the War with my father. More than definitely this letter contained some sort of bad news.

"He wanted you to receive this before you read the Daily Prophet tomorrow, no doubt." She handed me a small piece of parchment, rolled delicately and tied with a small string of twine. I took it from her hands, and slowly unwrapped it, my eyes glancing over my father's all-too-familiar handwriting; a mess of handwriting and printing. No doubt this was written in a hurry, but I could tell from the words he had taken care in thinking about what he was going to say.

"Lucas,

There is no easy way to alert you of this particular incident, but it must be done, and before tomorrow's paper is released. I would have came up to Hogwarts myself to speak with you about this matter, but under the circumstances the Ministry has been phenomenally busy, and I am needed there more than ever now, not to mention the Order has been going crazy.

Last night there was a breakout of two Death Eater fugitives. They were not being held at Azkaban for a pantheon of reasons, but instead were being held captive deep in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry. The two to break out were none other than my, and your, cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, and the ex-potions professor Severus Snape.

Your mother had been at the Ministry interviewing Severus Snape when the breakout took place, and she was taken captive by the two.

Do not panic, Lucas. Although this situation is no doubt of the utmost of serious matters currently, we do not doubt at the moment that we will get your mother back home safe and unharmed, and we are working on that diligently.

Now I must cut this letter off and get to the Ministry. I apologize for not being able to explain much more than I have, but this shall have to be sufficient for the time being. Minerva has been alerted of the situation and I have requested that she give you this letter directly, away from prying eyes.

Take care, my son. You will hear from me soon.

With Love,

Your father,

Sirius Black."

I stared at the letter for a long time, unsure of how I was to react. Finally I looked up at Professor McGonagall, my eyes wide and my face no doubt filled with shock.

"What has happened, Minerva?" came a soft, kind, yet sharp voice from behind her. The once empty portrait belonging to ex- and now deceased- headmaster Albus Dumbledore was now occupied, Dumbledore's eyes peering at us over his half-moon spectacles. McGonagall turned her head quickly towards the portrait, her eyes surprised to see her visitor sneak upon them so quietly, and her mouth tight-lipped.

"It's the Granger girl, Albus. Or, I suppose it is Mrs. Granger-Black, now. She has been taken as a prisoner by Severus and Bellatrix Lestrange upon their break-out last night."

"Lucas, I am sure that if you were not up for going to classes today and chose to instead go to your dorm room, our dear headmistress would be fine with that?" Dumbledore said, half a question to McGonagall, (for he knew that now he was no longer in charge of the school upon his death and that he was, after all, merely a portrait with the old man's wisdom,) but also as a statement, a type of hint. McGonagall nodded, turning back slightly to face me. "But for the moment it is very important that I have a word with the Headmistress myself." McGonagall nodded and I took the hint, standing, grabbing my bag, and taking my leave.

Curiosity could not help but bite as me as I slid down the spiral staircase and out past the gargoyle. Curiosity of course was my nature as much as trouble was. I was particularly curious as to what Dumbledore needed to speak with McGonagall about. No doubt it concerned me, my father, or my mother. Perhaps Snape even! I wanted to know anything that Dumbledore had to say, particularly if it concerned the situation with my mother.

As worried as I was about her, I could not deny the fact that while I understood she was in danger, I trusted my father and Ministry. Namely Kingsley over the Ministry, but as Minister they were one in the same.

Slowly I made my way to the Gryffindor tower, trudging along in a leisurely, thoughtful pace. But by the time I made it there, I found Pandora already waiting for me, no doubt to make sure that I was okay.

"What happened?" Her voice was careful, but caring. Her black hair was reminiscent of her mother's at our age, and I knew that due to the pictures I'd been shown by Pandora.

Without a word – I didn't want to explain – I gave her the letter that my father had sent me, slinging by book-bag onto the loveseat and sitting beside her. I watched her as she read it, expressionless.

"Luke... If you want, I can message my mother. She'll see if Draco knows anything – just so you know she is safe."

"It's okay, Pandora. I trust my father will get her back... Don't do anything that would make Draco mad." I took the letter back, folding it instead of rolling it and slipped it into my book bag. Pandora leaned towards me, her arms wrapping around my neck in a light, but warm hug. I accepted her, letting my hands come to rest on her back.

It was hard to deny that in the years that I had known Pandora I hadn't noticed her in a more than friendly way. It would just as well be a lie to say that I didn't like her as more than a friend, as well. Pandora was the person who understood me and knew me better than anyone, and meant something to me.

Her name passed my lips, a soft whisper.

"Lucas?"

The moment was soft, tender. I pulled away from her, running a hand through my equally dark hair. "I need air. Want to come for a walk?" She nodded, standing, and started towards the door. I charmed by bag to find its own way to my bed upstairs and followed her. When she pushed on the portrait, opening the door, I grabbed her hand, sliding it into mine as we walked into the corridor.

*

The lake was calm as we walked along its shores, an illusion for the dangers and mysteries that lay beneath it. At first we had been walking in silence, but now Pandora was talked as we continued our walk, talking about the lake beside the summer Malfoy mansion that Draco and her mother took her to every summer, or used to.

I listened to her talk, but I was barely paying attention to her words. I was too distracted by her smooth voice, the smile that I could hear as much as I could see.

We stopped for a moment, watching as the giant squid that had called the lake home for many, many years breached the surface lightly. Tentacles rose like pillars into the air and they sank as the squid dove straight down.

"Lucas." Pandora's voice was shaky now as she spoke. She opened her mouth to speak again, but promptly sealed her lips tightly, as though embarrassed.

And then it happened.

It was quick, it was shaky on both our parts, it was slightly embarrassing for Pandora I could tell, it was nervous, but above all it was perfect. She leaned into me, against me, and pressed her lips to mine, in a chaste kiss, as though she were scared for my reaction, or the repercussions. I was surprised, but more so excited. So my feelings weren't one sided!

As she started to pull away from me, I grabbed her, pulling her back.

We were 17, in our 6th year at the school. We weren't children. In the wizarding world we were adults!

So, with the first move a thing of the past, I let go of all my fears, of all my inhibitions, and I kissed her. For real.

*

**A/N – Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long to update. My computer crashed, and I had to rewrite this entire chapter. I don't think it's as long as the first draft, but I didn't want to leave you waiting for too long. We got a laptop, and I am keeping all my work on a flashdrive now, so hopefully this incident shall not be repeated. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Keep your eyes open for more. Hopefully really soon this time.**

**Again, my apologies.**

**Ciao,**

**Airyckah-Nyckole**


	6. VI: Hermione & Sirius

Chapter VI: Hermione/Sirius

I woke in a dark room, barely conscious. My head pounded, and memories flooded my mind.

'_Hermione Black. We have met before, I believe."_

'_Yes, sir.'_

'_You've helped my servants escape from the Ministry; from your place of occupation, and most of all from your friends. Why is that?'_

'_My lord. It was an attempt to gain your approval._

_I realize that I am merely a mudblood, but I grow intensely tired of this war. Of all of this. The only way this war is going to end... is by your hand. You need a spy in the Ministry however. Let that be me.'_

"Hermione." I pushed myself from the comfortable (too welcomingly so) couch, to see where my name was coming from.

Severus Snape, ex-potions professor from Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, (or most recently, ex-Defence Against the Dark Arts professor,) stood in the doorway. His black hair framed his face, his arms crossed over his chest. He walked across the room, the door closing behind him. It was more of a glide than necessarily a walk, however. He took a seat in the matching armchair across from me.

'_I can vouch for her, my Lord. She is a Mudblood, yes, but as I told you, she is one of the most talented witches I have ever seen. And she is married to a pureblood.'_

'_Ah, yes. Sirius. How is my cousin?'_

'_Bellatrix, leave your teasing. She is not your food, do not play those games.'_

'_Oh come on, Severus. I killed the man. And yet he is back, and now standing before us is the Mudblood wife of the blood traitor.'_

'_Shove off, Bellatrix. My Lord, I give you my word, she is the most talented, secretive, clever witch that shall ever come across your path.'_

"Are you okay?"

I nodded slowly as I watched him, and he watched me, and finally, I spoke.

"It is done." And he nodded.

"It is."

'_I admit, that I am in dire need of an inside person. I shall except you, Black, but keep in mind. You are now on a short leash. Once you prove yourself worthy of us, you will receive more respect. Until that time, if you care about your life, and your family's lives, then be careful. I do not, and never have, believed in second chances.'_

*

The alcohol taste of wine was warm in my mouth, but I welcomed and savoured it.

"Refill?"

"Thank you, Severus."

He filled my glass, then his, and we ate our supper quietly, until he spoke. When he did it was as quiet as possible, in the hopes that any passer-by of the room would not hear us talking.

"Hermione... I am sorry that it has come down to this. I never wanted you to get dragged as deeply into this as you are."

"Don't apologize, Severus."

"No, Hermione, I feel that I must. When Kingsley first said that he needed a spy on the inside with which he could be in constant co-operation with, I agreed. When he said that one of the only people he trusted enough for the job was either you or Potter, I disagreed. Obviously Potter could not have pulled this off. That left you. And I did not – ever – want to see you pulled into this as neck-deep as you are."

"It was my choice."

"Because you have such a loyalty to your friends, and to good, that you could not say no."

I sipped gently at my wine again, my eyes on Severus. He was leaned forward over his food, slightly hunched, talking as though what we spoke of was the world's biggest secret – which it was. His fork was suspended in the air, a small piece of steak impaled upon it.

To make the kidnapping real, I had to stay at Voldemort's mansion for some time, and that time was spent in Severus's rooms. When forced to associate with the other Death Eaters, I did, but most of my time was with Severus. The odd days I would spend with Bellatrix, but merely for the sake that Voldemort expected us to be friendly with each other; we were the only female servants of the Dark Lord.

By the second week, I realized I was starting to sound like one of his followers. It killed me.

"Hermione, promise me you will be careful. Do _nothing _that will turn the Dark Lord's anger on you. You can't risk even _annoying_ him."

"Since when do you care this much, _professor_?" I snapped, my voice spiteful. I sighed, finishing my second glass of wine. My eyes never left his, his dark gaze sad and mournful.

He sat up straight, and finally, spoke. "Has anyone ever told you who you remind us of?"

"Who's us?"

"Remus. Sirius. Me. Molly. Arthur. Minerva. Kingsley. All of the older Order members."

"Who do I remind you of."

"Lily."

We both go silent. I lean back in my chair, studying Severus. He is obviously waiting for me to say something more, but anything I saw now I want to be said right, so I was careful. More silence. More studying, on both of our parts.

I could tell he was trying to use Legimens with me, but he knew that I was as good at Occumulency as anything. So we sit, silence our company, until finally I cannot handle it, and I speak.

"So that's why you care? Because I am a memory of the love of your life? Well Severus, I am sorry to say it, but I am not her. And just loving someone does not make possibilities. She still ended up with James. And I am with Sirius."

I stood, slamming the door to his private study as I entered it.

Silence, once again, was my company.

*

'_I did not want to warn you. But Severus thought it best if I did.'_

'_Warn me?'_

'_You've been here a sufficient amount of time that we are going to send you back out into the open.'_

'_So why warn me?'_

'_We have to torture you to make it as real as possible. Crucio.'_

Slowly I opened my eyes.

'_I don't want you to hate me for telling you what we all think.'_

"Hermione..."

'_I don't hate you, Severus.'_

"Sirius..."

'_I don't expect anything but your friendship.'_

"Thank Merlin..."

'_But you still need to know that I deeply care about you. So for me, for Sirius, and for Lucas... You need to be careful.'_

"I'm sorry Sirius."

'_I'm sorry it always has to be this way for you, Severus.'_

"Don't apologize."

'_Don't apologize.'_

*

I watched her sleeping. We had found her in her office, as though we had simply never looked there, aside from the fact she was beaten and bruised. We found her passed out, in her chair, falling over her desk. We had decided not to take her to St. Mungo's; The Dark Mark burned into her arm made it dangerous. She had, to say the very least, completed her mission. So we had, instead, taken her home, and between Kingsley, myself, and a quick visit from Remus, she was healed, aside from the Sleepless Draught Potion we had slipped her, rather stronger than usual.

During our conversations, it was obvious her mind was in a pantheon of different places... One moment I knew she was talking to me, the next I knew she wasn't. _'I'm sorry it always has to be this way for you, Severus.'_ She was no doubt thinking about a conversation with Snape at the same time, but I didn't mind. She was delirious. Only she knew what had happened to her.

The first thing I had done when we had found her was send a letter to Lucas, to let him know she was okay.

"Sirius." I lifted my head off the bed, my eyes meeting her chocolate brown, and sighed a happy sound, one of relief.

"Hey babe. How are you feeling."

"Like I just got hit by the Knight Bus." She smiled then, a joke. At least she was the same old Hermione.

"We didn't want to take you to St. Mungo's. You have the Dark Mark." She nodded.

"It is done." She lifted her arm, rolling up her sleeve, exposing the cursed sign. She ran her other hand over it lightly, showing it to me. Slowly it faded from the prominent emerald and black to simply a thin black line, then it was gone, as though none of this had happened. "He decided he wanted me to be able to hide it. No one shall know anymore than you, me, Kingsley, Severus, and Remus."

"And McGonagall."

"And McGonagall." She slid onto the edge of the bed, her legs straddling mine. "I need to ask you something." She lifted her hands to my face, her soft skin running over my cheeks and chin, soft on my rough facial hair. (In being so worked up, would you have found time to shave?) "How much do I remind you of Lily?"

I was taken aback by the question. Me and Hermione never spoke of Lily... Ever. But there was little point in lying so, I was honest. "A lot. Aside from your hair and the colour of your eyes, you look exactly like her. You sound like her. You think like her. Sometimes you act like her. But you are uniquely you, in the same way she was uniquely her."

"Did you love her?"

I leaned away from her.

"I don't want to be in love with someone who is in love with a memory, Sirius."

"I had a crush on her, before James. But love? No, never love. Before you there was one that I loved, but... But that doesn't matter. I love _you_, Hermione. You alone." I stood to head towards the kitchen. At the doorway, I stopped to add, "Lily was James's. Always. I never let my feelings grow beyond infatuation for that reason. But you... You have what she was missing for me. It's just you, Hermione."

*

In a dark room, a figure steps into the fire-light, sipping from a glass of wine. Brooding, no doubt. She didn't understand. He wasn't in love with a memory. This was obvious to him because while she talked like Lily and thought like Lily, her eyes, her hair... things that were distinctly _her_, not Lily. And every time she got too close, touched his hand, touched his arm, his body and mind screamed, and it took all of his self control, (good thing he was a man with much,) not to throw her against the wall and fuck her.

Not even Lily had had that effect on him.

'_Sev. I'm sorry. I love James... and you've hurt me enough that I have learned nothing I can do will stop you from becoming what your family wants you to be.'_

**You are the one that made me who I am Lily. You made me turn to the darkness. Your death made me turn back to the light.**

Damn, Lily. Damn her for intruding his head in such a way that it was painful. Damn her for ruining his thoughts of... _her_.

'_There could have been a chance for us, but today, the day that you have denounced me to nothing more than a filthy Mudblood, is the day that makes our friendship, and our hopes, mean nothing. It is over. Any possible future for us, any chance of saving our friendship, it is all gone, Severus Snape.'_

**I hate you, and I hate your son, but I will do everything, **_**everything**_**, within my power to save **_**her**_**. To save **_**her**_** and **_**her**_** son. Even save her idiot of a husband. You taught me that, Lily Evans.**

*

**A/N: Well there we go, another chapter up. I rather enjoyed Severus's brooding towards the end, but I hope I'm not moving this too fast for anyone. To be honest I just don't want to have a story with like 89 chapters hahahah. Well, review peoples, and get another soon!**


	7. VII: Sirius & Severus

VII: Sirius & Severus

*

"Sirius, honey, would you mind running down and putting on some coffee? I need to have a quick shower before work." Hermione's sing-song voice came from deep within the cream coloured quilts and silk sheets. Ever-so-slowly, she pulled her head out from hiding, her chocolate eyes smiling even though I couldn't see her lips, and her mass of curls a mane of madness, not yet tamed by her morning regiment.

"Of course." I had just gotten out of the shower myself, and – with my towel still slung around my hips – I sauntered out of the bedroom and down the stairs of the Noble House Of Black.

"Good morning, Pollux."

"And a good morning to you as well, Black," replied the portrait, nodding once. Very few of the old family pictures had managed to stay after me and Hermione took up in the old family house, but my respect for old Pollux Black had remained, and his portrait did as well.

The moment I hit the kitchen doorway, I could already smell coffee, and I swore, cutting myself off and slipping into the hallway.

"No need to hide, Sirius Black. I know you're there. Coffee is already on." The silky voice reached my ears and I closed my eyes, cursing. "Language, please, Black."

I stepped into the kitchen, towel still tied tightly around my waist, and figured, might as well flaunt it. "Good morning, Snape," I said, heading straight for the cupboard to grab a coffee cup. When I turned, my least-favourite person in the world was sitting at my kitchen table, sipping gently at a cup of coffee.

The old bat had not changed at all; still wearing only black – no doubt to make his brooding and moping around look just like darkness. He sat with his legs crossed, and when he wasn't holding his coffee, his arms were crossed over his chest. His dark eyes remained on me; half glaring, half gleaming from amusement; he obviously thought I was hiding from embarrassment of being seen by someone other than my wife wearing nothing but a towel. What a fool.

"What do you want?"

"I have business with Hermione." I bit my lip when he said this. The old fool was feeling brave, was he? He had to know I didn't want _him_ talking about my wife like they were old friends.

I took my coffee and left the kitchen, unable to handle the ex-Professor any longer. When I got upstairs, Hermione was out of the shower, her black-silk bathrobe pulled tightly around her waist.

"There's a greasy old bat in the kitchen waiting for you," I growled.

She slipped from the bedroom without getting dressed, still in her bathrobe. And I know for a fact she was _not_ wearing even underwear under that.

*

When Sirius left the kitchen, I couldn't help but smile at his reaction. Smiling was a rare thing for me, that was certain, but seeing Sirius Black get that worked up over me inviting myself into _his_ kitchen, asking for _his _wife made me smile. He was angry, and I could hear him growl his way all the way up the stairs.

Hermione came in a short couple of minutes later, smiling at me. "Well hello, Severus. To what do I owe this visit?"

Her hair was still wet from her shower, and she wore only a silk black robe, tied tightly on her waist, her petite figure all too obvious. She sat down across from me after getting a cup for her coffee, which she poured quickly, smiling at me still greetingly as she did.

"The Dark Lord sent me to talk to you. He has a mission for you."

"He couldn't have summoned me and asked it of me himself?"

"I offered to come."

"You shouldn't have."

The conversation was going nowhere, and while she was still smiling, I could see she was getting more agitated by the moment.

"What is it he asks of me?" She said finally, sighing.

"He needs something from the Department of Mysteries. You can get the clearance, can't you?" Hermione nodded slowly. "It is just a trinket; something to see if you will listen to him. If you will do anything for him. But this will be just as important as any other mission."

"Of course. What does he want?"

"It's another prophecy. This was is labelled generally... Just one direct name. Whoever placed it in the Mysteries was trying to hide the other person the Prophecy affects. It is simply labelled "Tom Riddle, Mother of Child."

"But I thought that only the ones that the prophecies pertain to could retrieve them?"

"Not true. The Dark Lord only told Bella and Lucius that because he wanted to draw Harry out." I looked at Hermione for a moment before speaking again. She looked wonderful in the morning; I couldn't deny that. "I must admit, Hermione... I had an ulterior motive for delivering the mission to you..."

"Hush, Severus. Not here. I'll come by and talk to you later tonight, after I retrieve the Prophecy."

My heart skipped a beat as I agreed.

*

I listened from the top of the stairs as Hermione and Snape talked, and I couldn't help but feel... angry, jealous, sad, all rolled into one. 1) Hermione was running errands for the man she was trying to destroy. 2) Severus Snape was in _my_ kitchen, talking to _my_ wife. 3) Hermione was going to talk to Snape tonight, about something that I didn't know anything about. And, oh yeah, 4) Severus Snape was in _my _kitchen, talking to _my _wife.

I made as much noise as I could coming down the stairs, to let them know I was coming.

"I'm off to work," I said bitterly, not caring to stop and bid my wife good-day. "I'll see you there... We'll meet for lunch." And I was gone, before either could say much else.

I was greeted at the office by a very eager Percy Weasley.

"Sirius, Kingsley Shacklebolt is looking for you." He sped away before I could reply. So, quite leisurely, I made my way to Kingsley's office.

"Good morning, Minister!" I said, upon entering. I smiled as I said it jokingly; the man was at a dislike for his elected title, and I was not hesitant to bug him about it any chance I got.

"Sirius. Have a seat. I am just finishing this letter to the Bulgarian Ambassador."

There was silence for a few moments as he finished, folding the letter and charming the now paper airplane to fly on its own down to the owl's roost.

"I heard you had a visitor this morning, Sirius."

_Damn old bat is more like it. _"Yes, sir we did."

"I heard you were moping around over it, Sirius."

_Damn bloody wife of mine._ "Yes, sir I was."

"Sirius. Severus is vital in this war, and now so is your wife. We all care deeply for Hermione, and I do understand why it is hard for _you_ to trust Severus, but if you knew why he switched to Albus, if you knew why he was helping us, you would have great respect for him. I know. And to have a friend like Severus would do Hermione some good now. No one understands the life of a spy more than another spy. It's going to be hard on you both, that's no lie, but I asked her because you are both strong."

"Why didn't you ask me then?"

"I know you Sirius. But at the same time, most of your family is with or was with You-Know-Who. I just didn't want you to be seduced by that."

"I was never before."

"Doesn't mean it can't happen."

*

"Well well. What do we have here?" came a soft, smooth voice from the door. "Severus, dear. Why are you moping around so?"

"Can you not leave me to wallow, _Bella_," growled the dark haired man from his chair before the fire, his own black eyes aflame when his gaze fell on the witch standing in his room. "I don't want nor need your company."

"I am not here to keep you company, Severus."

"Then why am I cursed enough that you keep coming to be in my presence?"

In a flash, Bellatrix Lestrange was across the room, her wand drawn, in a sweeping spread of black lace, and Severus was pinned to the wall, Bellatrix's 13 ½ inch Willow wood wand pressed into his neck roughly.

"And now what did I do to earn this?"

"Severus Snape. I see how you look at my new cousin, Hermione Black. And as much as I hate my own cousin, Sirius, I actually _like _Hermione. And she saved my life. And being married to a pureblood is the only thing that is going to save her from the Dark Lord. And if you fuck that up in any way, I personally will hang your horny balls from the Potter Memorial."

And Bellatrix Lestrange, the dark beauty with a temper made to rival her Lord's, was gone, leaving Severus to fall to the ground, gasping, the fresh air that reached his lungs doing nothing to sate his suffocated blood.

"Someday, maybe Bellatrix, the fact that you actually _care _for her might save you."

*

Somewhere deep in the Department of Mysteries, a cloaked figure walks through the aisles and aisles of glowing orbs. She is looking for a specific one, one that her Lord wants, one that is making this mere test a matter of life and death. She pulls her robes tighter around her, her wand at the ready just in case.

Finally, she sees it. With a small gold plate under it, engraved with

_Tom Riddle_

_Mother of Child._

Slowly she reaches for it, and the moment her small hand, with her manicured nails touches the glass orb, it's cloudy, white glow changes to something darker, and then it clears, and a figure is seen within it. If Hermione Granger-Black didn't know any better, she would have said that it was her least-favourite professor from her Hogwarts days; a young Sybil Trelawney. The truth was the figure _was_ Sybil, but Hermione's ignorance and dislike for the woman blinded her.

And then she spoke.

_A girl, of blood not of ours,_

_Married to a man of the purist blood,_

_Shall give birth to a child,_

_An omen the moment his breathe is first taken._

_And to protect her son, her husband, _

_The Mother of the Prodigious Child_

_Will turn to the darkness._

_But in the end, she will bring _

_The darkness to all of the world._

Shaking, Hermione slid the orb into her robes, covering its glow.

For she knew the Mother of the Prodigious Child, and she knew a girl not of wizarding blood, who married a man of Pure blood. And she knew that woman had turned to the darkness as a spy for the Light.

And now she knew she had to change her own destiny.

*

**A/N: Well, there you go, another chapter done. Hope it was sufficient; I realize that I'm on the seventh chapter and am **_**still**_** leading into things, but I am praying this story won't be like a million chapters long.**

**I suppose we will see.**

**P.S. – the more reviews, the faster the next chapter will come. So tell all your Fanfic friends about this one!!**


	8. VIII: Remus

At the next Order meeting, I listened closely as Hermione relayed the information that she had from the Death Eater meetings. Most of the information was not overly interesting, but important to share anyway. Her last bit, however, was one that caught my attention.

"The Dark Lord had asked me earlier this week to retrieve an artifact from the Department of Mysteries. In doing what he asked, I found a prophecy that has not been mentioned by anyone, anytime before." I closed my eyes, deep in thinking, as she repeated the prophecy.

When she finished, I straightened in my seat, looking towards her. With my heightened senses, I had heard her trying the cover the fear in her voice as she spoke, and immediately I recognized why. Neither Sirius nor Hermione knew that I knew about Lucas's blood, but I did - only because Sirius, one drunken night, right before he passed out, he had mumbled about it without realizing it. But it was just as well, I didn't think of Sirius as not being Lucas's father - Sirius had raised him, blood had nothing to do with it.

But hearing Hermione speak of this "prophecy" worried me. I knew exactly who it spoke of; even if no one else here but me, Sirius, and Hermione did. In honesty, I did not think that Hermione was going to tell anyone.

After the meeting finished, I waited around, chatting with various Order members; Ginny, Kingsley, and told Tonks that I'd come stay home for the weekend before going back to the school on Sunday night. I asked Ginny if she'd heard from Harry lately; but she had about the same amount of news as anyone else; which was, of course, none. We got news every once in a while; mainly just him letting us know he was alive. Hermione, Ginny, and Sirius all wrote him regularly, but rarely did anyone get a reply. His letters did reach him though; owls always came back empty taloned.

Finally, everyone had left Grimmauld Place, and at last, Hermione, Sirius and I were alone.

"Would you like some tea, Remus?" asked Hermione, moving towards the cupboard.

"I'm sure he'd like something a little stronger," corrected Sirius with his wolfish grin and a wink.

Before I could reply, Sirius had pulled out three bottles of Firewhisky, and Hermione joined us.

"I think that it is important that I talk to you about the prophecy, Hermione." She went pale at the mention of it, and stuttered her reply nervously.

"Why, Remus?"

"I do know about Lucas, you know."

I figured that we had to talk about it. I also figured that I had to come clean sometime soon, seeing as I had known for nearly seven years now.

"Pardon, Remus? You know about what?" Her voice was shaky, nervous, and it was strong in attempt not to break. She forced a smile, one of those, 'Really now dear, what do you mean?' smiles that Molly used to give the kids when they asked too many questions. No doubt that spending so much time around the old homemaker in her younger years had affected her maternal instincts to be supernatural; Molly was supernatural in herself.

"Don't, Hermione. Sirius mentioned it one time when he was drunk."

Sirius's face turned red and Hermione whipped her head around to give him a lasting glare; no doubt that was going to cause some problem after I left.

"I know of Lucas's blood. I know that the prophecy is talking about you."

Then something extraordinary happened; something that I will never forget. Something that I had never seen before, and something that I haven't seen since. Hermione Granger-Black - one of the single strongest women I have ever seen, the second young woman of my aquaintance who had taken over Molly Weasley, the strongest woman I _have _ever seen, burst into tears. Uncontrollably, in fact.

She buried her face in her hands, and Sirius leaned towards her, wrapping an arm over her shoulders.

"Nothing is comepletely solid, Hermione. Even in forsight. Take Harry's prophecy. You-Know-Who made a choice; there were two children born in July that year that had parents very involved in the war; Voldemort _chose _to attack James and Lily. It could have been that Neville Longbottom was in the position that Harry is in now. Everything could have been different. This can still be changed.

"I heard your fear when you read that to the Order, and whilst none of them know about Lucas - I do. And I wanted to extend my hand as your friend, and as Lucas's Godfather."

Yes. I was Lucas Black's godfather - it's not that big of a surprise, is it now? Who else would it have been? Even 16 years ago, when Lucas was born, Harry was starting to disappear. To become distant and avoid most of all of his friends.

"Thanks, Moony. I can't believe that I told you that.... thank Merlin it was you, and not someone else."

"Maybe you should quit drinking, you wouldn't have that problem, Sirius," I laughed, grinning.

"I doubt that's going to happen," snapped Hermione, almost uncharacteristically. I had never seen Hermione angry - annoyed, many times, or unapproved. But never angry. Most of all I had never seen her and Sirius fight - but I didn't doubt that this might cause an argument.

I stood, stretching lightly. "I'd best be on my way," I said, taking one last swig from the bottle. "Me and Tonks were going to have a little night in tonight."

"Have a good evening, Remus. And - thank you."

"Anytime, Hermione. You know where to find me if you need anything." I was about to Disapparate when something crossed my mind. "Does Lucas know?" I asked in a small voice, curious.

"No."

*

**Sirius and Hermione, Part I**

Hermione had been sitting at her parent's home when she got the floo. They had just finished dinner and she and her father were sitting on the porch when her mother called her from the kitchen.

"Hermione dear, Ginny just stopped in. She says it's important."

Hermione had jumped up, a million horrible thoughts running through her head, and ran to the kitchen, where she found the red head waiting, talking nervously with Hermione's mother. Her face was flushed and pale, her hair askew, and her eye wild.

"Harry is at St. Mungo's now with Remus," she said brokenly, not completely explaining, "Dad went to get Kingsley and Mom is off to Hogwart's to find Minerva. Ron is - I told mom Ron is looking for Mad Eye, but that's a cover, he went out with Lavender tonight and he's probably off drunk somewhere - but I didn't want to tell mom that. You need to come, now."

"What's going on, Ginny?"

"I'll explain it on the way. We need to Apparate to the London Apparition point and walk to Mungo's."

They made time quickly, Ginny explaining frantically along the way.

"He just showed up at Grimmauld Place, I guess, while Harry, Remus and the twins were being stupid and fooling around. They took him straight to Mungo's when they saw the shape he was in, they are all shit healers, Remus being the only exeption but even he is just decent. Thank Merlin he was cleared after they thought he died, or he'd be back in Azkaban now dying."

"Ginny, you're barely making sense. Who'd be back in Azkaban?"

Then it dawned on her, and she mentally kicked herself for forgetting. Who else would it be?

"How the fuck did he get back?" Hermione barely used any coarse language, but now seemed like an appropriate time.

"They're not sure yet. They aren't sure of anything right now. All they know is that he is - and he was half dead when he showed up in the kitchen."

When they got to St. Mungo's, Hermione's heart, which had been beating frantically until the moment she laid eyes on him, stopped when she saw Sirius Black laying in that hospital bed. He was beaten and bruised, and even now, when Healer Tomulson said that he was going to be fine, looked half dead. Hermione went straight to Remus, who was sitting alone by the window, looking aged and nearly distraught.

Hermione felt for him. He had lost all of his greatest friends; James was dead, he thought Peter had died, thought Sirius to be a traitor - only to learn that Peter was alive, but was the traitor himself , and he got his Padfoot back, only to have him killed by the hand of his estranged cousin, Bellatrix. And now here Sirius was again, alive, but barely.

She sat down beside Remus, and placed her hand gently on his, which was over his leg as he cracked his knuckles nervously. He stopped his anxious action, looking over at Hermion with sunken amber eyes, his slightly greying, blonde hair a complete mess, his robes in tatters.

"Are you okay, Remus?" He nodded slowly, and Hermione knew that he had to be lying, at least kind of.

She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder in a comforting way, slightly comforting herself.

She couldn't lie - even when she was young, she; the good girl of Hogwarts; had always held some strong feelings for Sirius. He had been a father figure for her best friend. But beyond that, she could not deny that she had also kept secret some stronger feelings towards him; feelings that now were rushing back with worry as she saw the man that she had once had a school-girl crush on lie asleep, peacefully unaware for the moment of the cascade of sorrow that surrounded him in the room.

She didn't know what it was about him - perhaps his playful, wolfish smile, his care for Harry - mixed with his undeniable bad boy, I was once a very sexy man persona - but Hermion had damn near felt herself almost falling in love with Sirius Black when she had been younger. Any dreams, any wishes she had once held, however, had been smothered when she had seen him, watching in silent horror, as Bella had cast that curse and he had arched so gracefully into the veil behind him.

Remus had always suspected Hermione had held feelings for his old friend, so when she was there comforting him, he couldn't help himself; "Are _you _okay, Hermione?" he had asked, giving her that undeniable, 'I know' look. Hermione had turned away, nodding slowly, still unable to admit anything.

And so, the story of Granger and Black began with the return of the dead and a single night of fear that he would die on all of them once again.

Hermione had, in the next few weeks, never strayed too far from Grimmauld Place upon Sirius's release from St. Mungo's. She was, after all, undeniably the best healer in the Order, and she argued that it was best that _someone _with _some _proper ability be around at all times.

Ron was starting to grow weary, and jealous, but Hermione assured him it was strictly business - that his jealousness was just him behaving juevenile. Maybe he was - but he wasn't wrong, either.

Three months later, Hermione ended her relationship with Ron.

Seven months after that, Hermione and Sirius came clean at Hermione's birthday supper in September.


	9. IX: Hermione

**Sirius and Hermione: Part II**

Hermione remembered, most clearly, more clearly than anything else, how her and Sirius's relationship began.

It was before she and Ron had even broken up. It had, in fact, happened two months before that; only one month after Sirius's return. No surprise, Remus had known; Remus, it seemed, in his quiet knowledge and wisdom, knew everything. But Sirius had never told Hermione how Remus had found out; which was fine. When he had gone to visit Sirius all he had to do, with his werewolf-senses was walk in the house, and he could smell the scent of sex that lingered throughout and had said, in a blunt and amused voice, "You fucked her."

The first night, Hermione had just come to check on Sirius, make sure he was getting along fine.

"Has Harry been around lately?" she asked, slipping into the kitchen and grabbing two Firewhiskeys without asking - at this point, she didn't need to.

"Just missed him," Sirius replied, grinning. "He was just on his way to your place to see Ginny." That had been, of course, before Harry had become as distant as he was now.

"And how are you feeling, Sirius?"

"Wonderful, now that I have had my daily visit from you."

Hermione hadn't been sure if he was teasing her, genuinely making fun of her, or actually happy to see her. Either way she didn't particularly care; she wanted to make sure that he was alright.

They had talked, drinking, until late. Hermione couldn't help herself, she commented on how well he was looking; "Better than I've ever seen you!" she had exclaimed to him, laughing.

"Well, I've actually been able to get out and get some proper clothes, now what with my record being clear. Only problem now is everytime I go to Diagon Alley I am swarmed by women; and Madame Malkin _insists_ on selling me only her finest, which are, of course, also her most expensive. I can't tell if she wants me to look good, or is just trying to milk my fortune out of me," he had joked.

"Ah, yes. So is Hogwart's most infamous playboy back to his old ways, then?" she had asked, half joking - mostly honestly wanting to know if he was screwing around.

"Hardly. I'm too distracted by a particular young lady to allow myself to be seduced by any other young witch."

Hermione's heart fell when she heard this, but alas, she couldn't let that be known. She was with Ron, wasn't she? Nontheless, she couldn't stop herself before she asked, "So who is the lucky woman?"

"Oh, you know her. Very, _very_ well, actually."

If anyone else had been watching, they would have seen the unmistakable flirting taking place between the two; and the only reason that Sirius was brave enough to say anything at this point was because of the alcohol he had consumed. Although he was not drunk, he was feeling rather light headed, but he hardly minded if it gave him the chance to speak with Hermione in such a way.

"_Really_? Come now, Sirius. You just _have _to tell me who now!"

He looked at her with twinkling eyes before replying, "I'll do you one better. I'll show you."

The moment that his lips descended on hers, she groaned. He grinned into the kiss, enjoying her immediate reaction. But in the next moment, Hermione pulled away slightly, stuttering.

"Oh... we- we shouldn't... really - Ron. I - " And then she went to him, kissing him with all of her inhibitions released, his tongue sliding over her bottom lip, begging entry. Entry that she granted him with a sigh, and the kiss was deepened, Hermione suddenly pressed against the back of the couch, her hair tangled in his hands, or his hands tangled in her hair... Either way, rational thought had left her, and her body reacted of its own accord, her hands starting to explore the body of the man that held her, the man that was not her boyfriend.

And then her hands were on the buttons of his shirt, and his hands were on the hem of hers, and then both of the annoying garments were gone. The moment that their bare skin touched, they broke. Hermione pulled away, but only to take in a mouthful of air, and Sirius's mouth was quick to find other business. Licking. kissing... and most sinfully biting at her jawbone lightly. He raked his teeth across her collarbone, reaching behind her to find the clasp of the dreadful black lace bra she wore. Though admittedly it was no doubt sexy, in the moment he didn't care - he wanted it gone, he wanted to see her breasts, kiss them, bite the soft pink buds...

"Ooh... Sir - Sirius..." Hermione couldn't stop the groan, couldn't stop his name from leaving her lips. When his tongue finally reached its destination of her nipples her back arched.

Feeling the witch writhe under him, Sirius felt his pants beginning to grow painfully tight. Looking for some sort of friction, he ground his hips into hers, groaning.

He found himself, rather suddenly, on his back, Hermione hovering over him, her hands trailing down to the button and zipper on the muggle jeans he wore, and growled when her hand brushed over the tent, unable to stop the sound. Hermione smirked, pulling his pants past his hips, his boxers dragged away with them, his erection free.

He had closed his eyes when Hermione had brushed against him, and wasn't prepared when she stroked him, and then took him in her hand. his moan caught in his throat, and he involuntarily thrust his hips towards her. She was teasing him, he knew, but he didn't mind, not at this point.

"You minx," he growled, forcing himself up and grabbing her. He reached under her skirt, pulling her knickers down her legs, throwing them off somewhere, pulling Hermione back so she was straddling his legs, her skirt now hitched up to her hips.

Her arms were draped over his shoulders as she looked down on him, and his hands were gripping her hips, both were relishing the moment; the excitement, the anticipation, the feeling they both had that - finally - this was happening, and please, don't let it be a dream.

When she lowered herself onto him, his head fell back, eyes fluttering at the feeling of her.

"Fuck..."

Then everything was a blissful blur; his thrusting, her rolling hips. Their groans, moans, whimpers, and growls and they each approached their climax. Hermione's face as she came, screaming Sirius's name, and the way Sirius groaned hers as he found his release.

When Hermione collapsed onto Sirius lightly, trying to hold herself up so she wasn't completely putty against him, they were both covered in sweat, and felt sated.

The feeling obviously didn't last, because when Remus came by the next morning, he could smell their activities in the sitting room, kitchen, the hallway, and the bathroom - and he didn't even go upstairs.

*

"Evening, 'Mione," Ron greeted as he walked into the dining room. I was sitting beside Sirius, our chairs close together. Sirius had an arm across my shoulders, and I had my hand on his leg as I leaned into him. Remus and Tonks sat across the table from us; they had been the first to arrive for the Order meeting.

"Good evening, Ronald. Lavender didn't come tonight?"

"Oh, no. Hestia is sick; Lavender didn't want to leave her alone. Have you heard from Ginny? Is she on her way then?"

"Yes; she said she has some sort of surprise for us all."

"If Ginny has a surprise, it has got to be a decent one," said Tonks, piping in. Remus laughed.

"Ginny takes so after Molly that at the very least it shall be amusing to some of us."

As if on cue, the front door opened, and Ginny's sing-song voice rang through the hallway to the kitchen. "Heeeellooo-oo! Hermione? Sirius?" I could hear her trudging into the house, her shoes clicking lightly on the floor - except for one thing. She wasn't alone; I coud hear another set of footsteps aside from hers. "Look at who I have found!"

She burst into the kitchen, her red hair aflame in a wild mess of curls, her eyes excited as she bounced to where we all sat. "I could hardly believe it myself!"

We all turned to the door when she did, a wide smile on her face. Standing in the doorway was a messy-haired male figure; almost hardly recognizable.

It had been years since Harry Potter had returned to his Godfather's home in London; it had been years since anyone had really seen him. My hand slipped from Sirius's leg, and his arm slipped from my shoulder. The room was silent for a moment, and then I jumped up, throwing my arms around his neck.

He barely moved as I hit him, and there was a moment where I was just holding him, happy to see him, and he just stood, surprised. Slowly his arms wrapped around my waist, happy to see me, as well. Or so I assumed.

After that it was a blur; a blur of hugs, handshakes, and smiles. Molly and Arthur were the next to come, and I have never seen Molly make quite the fuss she did when she saw Harry. "Order meeting tonight is cancelled!" she sang, "I do not care what anyone says. Tonight is to celebrate! We've got our dear Harry back!"

Molly and Arthur were soon followed by Minerva McGonagall, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Mad-Eye. Slowly, the rest of the Order members began to appear.

"You're godson has been enquiring after you," said Remus, and Tonks frowned.

"Sh, Remus. That's not important now."

"How is Teddy?"

Harry shocked us all. His voice was different somehow; darker, more tired. He looked darker, if that makes sense, and like he hadn't had a proper sleep in months. Molly was already fussing over him, and consistently telling Ginny to take him home to bed soon.

Slowly the crowd dissapated. First Minerva and Mad-Eye, then the Weasley twins, followed by most of the rest of the Weasley clan, with the exception of Ron. Soon, all that were left were me, Sirius, Ron and Ginny. But not long after, Sirius retired to bed, saying something about letting us "kids catch up on everything that needs to be."

"Where were you, Harry?" It was me who asked this at last; the question everyone tonight had been skirting around.

"Well. First I was in Ireland. Dublin; to be exact. Then somehow I ended up in France; and was moving my way east, eventually making it to Romania. I just... I just needed to get away. And I know that sounds selfish but... I've been dealing with all of this since I was 11 years old. I just couldn't handle it anymore. I'm sorry I left you guys to deal with everything." He seemed genuinely sincerely sorry, and I nodded, but Ginny didn't seemed quite as impressed.

"Oh, fuck that Harry Potter. If you had needed a little vacation we all would have understood. But you left us to deal with a war for years. You left your godson, your best friends, and you left me with a ring on my finger. With no warning or word." She was angry; that was evident. But anyone could tell that she was just happy to see Harry again; and was no doubt excited to get him home, and all to herself.

"I'd better be on my way; Lavender won't be too happy if I come home far too late with Hestia ill," Ron said at last, breaking the awkward silence.

"I'm tired as well," Ginny said coolly, crossing her arms, her narrowed eyes still on Harry.

"I cannot wait to sleep in a proper bed."

We said our goodbyes with hugs and light, friendly kisses, and all were on their ways home; Ron by flu, and Harry and Ginny had decided to take a nice stroll through the London streets on the way; no doubt to discuss where they stood currently. Ginny held a flat not too far from Grimmauld Place, so I wasn't far too worried about her and Harry walking. Especially Harry.

I crawled into bed, Sirius's heavy breathing hitching as I slid against him, my arms sliding over his waist. The full moon shone through the window, bathing us in its pearly light.

"Why did you leave, baby?" I whispered gently in his ear.

"I wanted to give you kids some time to catch up, I believe I told you that."

"Oh, Sirius. Don't call me a kid. I'm your wife."

I heard him breathe out heavily, a small laugh. He turned in my arms so he was facing me. "I still don't know how we ended up together."

"OH! I remember this. You got me drunk and seduced me," I joked as we leaned closer to each other, if that were possible.

"Oh, Merlin. You're quite the liar. I do think it was the other way around. You're the one who kept coming by to 'check up' on me."

"Sirius. You had just come back from the dead. I'm pretty sure I was _actually _checking up on you. It's not my fault Remus is a shit Healer. He could have dealt with you, but no, he has to suck at that versus anything."

"Thank Goddess you were a good healer."

"Let us also recall that I had, after all, had a crush on you since what. My third year?"

"Now this is a developement!" Sirius exclaimed, looking nearly fully awake now. "This is something I did not know! Explain."

"What's there to explain? I am not sure what it was about you, but the moment I met you I _knew _that there was something I liked about you. You had... some sort of wisdom, knowledge. You were shaggy, but you weren't bad looking, even after those years in Azkaban. I don't know what else to tell you. I just had a schoolgirl crush on you."

"Ooooh. Schoolgirl crush, eh? Think we could work that into bed somehow? You be the bad, naughty schoolgirl, and I be the harsh, punishing professor?" he said, half joking, his hands sliding around me to squeeze my butt for emphasis.

"Sirius! You kinky old man!"

"Ouch. Now that one hurt."

I spent the next few hours making it up to him.


	10. X: Pandora & Hermione

Chapter X

"Good morning, Lucas." I greeted Lucas in the Gryffindor Common Room as I came down from the girls' dormatories. I gave him a greeting peck on the cheek, yawning lightly when I pulled away. He smiled as he took my hand, whispering softly in my ear.

"Tired?" I chuckled to myself and nodded.

Being with Lucas felt... natural, even with the history behind our families. He just made me so completely happy; to the point of perfection. Ever since that day on the lake side, I had been happy. Scared of nothing.

And then I got a letter from my mother. I had recieved it a few weeks ago; and I had been waiting for the best time to talk to Lucas about it. It was very important that I did; I just didn't know what to say. How was I supposed to tell him what I had to? I suppose that for better understanding, the letter is of the utmost importance.

_Dear Pandora,_

_I feel, that you now being 17, and legallyin the Wizarding world, an adult, that you have the right to know the truth about your blood. I know that I have, whenever you have asked me about this in your past, put the conversation off and pushed you away whenever the topic approached, but now I feel that it is important that you do know._

_However, the identity of your father is a very dangerous one. So it is important that you know that if you do agree and still want to know, that this identity will be your death if you stay with your stepfather and I after you have been told. If you still want to know, I am afraid that after I tell you, for your own safety, you cannot come back home here. I will contact your father and you will move to him._

_Write back immediately and let me know._

_With love,_

_Your mother,_

_Pansy Malfoy_

I had gotten the letter on my birthday. I had, of course, been quick to reply. I didn't mind that I would have to leave home – I hated Draco with an abnormal passion. I did, however, felt a dire need to know who my father was.

Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. I almost wish that I hadn't known. If I had been waist deep in this war before, I was now drowning.

*

"Harry Potter." Harry looked up at me with a blank stare. "You need to listen to me. It's important." He shook his head, shaking whatever was distracting him from his mind.

"What is it, Hermione?"

"Kingsley told me to talk to you. While you were gone... we were in trouble. We had Bellatrix and Snape in special custody; and under Veritaserum we interrogated Snape... very heavily. We learned some very... interesting information." I was leaning towards him over the dining table at the flat that he and Ginny shared, my voice low. "Now, this intelligence is very top secret. Even for the Order. Ginny doesn't even know. Me, Sirius, Minerva, Kingsley, and Remus are the only ones that know this information. And it is important that you know this as well."

"Hermione. What are you trying to tell me?"

Ginny was gone, so there was no reason for us to be whispering. Remus had convinced Tonks to take Ginny to Diagon Alley for the day, just for this conversation to be able to take place.

"Snape... He did kill Dumbledore. But at the Professor's own request. He was dying already, and the Dark Lord had asked Draco to dispose of Dumbledore himself. Dumbledore didn't want an innocent soul like Draco's to perform such a thing. So he asked Snape to do it to protect the boy, and his position in the inner circle. Snape was completely, entirely loyal to Dumbledore, since before the Dark Lord's own 'death' all those years ago."

Harry frowned slightly, looking down for a moment as he thought. "How can you be sure he was being honest?"

"Harry, the man was under Veritaserum for Merlin's sake. And... Now, Harry. Don't freak out when you hear this. The reason that Snape changed sides was because of your mother. The moment that the Dark Lord went after your mother, he lost Snape's loyalty."

Again, Harry frowned. "Why?"

"It's quite the coincidence, but... Snape grew up in the same town that your mother did. Actually, they were best friends until their fifth year. And he... he was in love with her." My voice was still low.

Harry shook his head, his eyebrows raised. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I trust you. It's just... The whole situation is so surreal. And you... The way that you talk about Voldemort" - Hermione cringed - "like you are scared of him. You never used to sound like that."

"Well, there is more, Harry." I hadn't wanted to tell him this yet, but I supposed that there was no way around it. "We were desperate, really. Without Snape we've been floundering. We didn't see much other choice. We needed someone on the inside. There wasn't much we could do. So we staged an escape. Snape and Bellatrix's escape. And we also faked a kidnapping. My kidnapping. And – now really, Harry... do _not_ freak out. I joined the Death Eaters as a spy."

For a moment, Harry said nothing. There was silence. An almost deafening silence. Then at last he spoke, with quiet, slow words. "You did what, Hermione?"

Sighing, I pulled out my left arm, baring my clear skind. Gently, I ran my right hand over the inside of my arm, and the Dark Mark appeared, a curse to me. I laid it out across the table, my palm facing up. Slowly, Harry reached forward, and gently ran his fingers of ther Mark. When he pulled away, I did the same and it disappeared, as though it were nothing but a bad dream.

"Hermione... why?"

"Everyone was in danger, Harry. We needed someone on the inside, someone that would stay strong, and not be tempted by the Dark. We decided that I was the best candidate."

He sighed. "Well... I'll admit that I am not in support of that decision. But I need to be honest with you about something as well. It's the real reason why I left."

I turned my head slighty – it was my turn to frown. He sighed, delaying speaking, no doubt thinking about how to tell me.

"It's also the reason why I returned."

*

"Lucas. We need to talk." Lucas looked up at me from his book, curiously. "It's rather important." Finally, I had to tell him. There was no way around it. If he didn't hear it from me, he would be bitter, no doubt.

"Sure. What is it, Pandora?"

I sighed, trying to clarify the words in my head. This was not easy, but it needed to be done and said, that was clear, at the very least. I sat down beside Lucas, and kept thinking. How to say it?

"There's something going on that I have been hiding from you for quite a while." I hated to think about hiding anything, especially from Lucas. But at the time, this had been a pretty darn important thing to hide from him, not only for my safety, but his. "I – uhm... talked to my mother. Well, not really talked, but I was owled by my mother a while ago. She said that if I still wanted to know who my father was, she would tell me, because I am now of age, and I have a right to know."

Lucas watched me carefully as I spoked, and when I trailed off at the end, he spoke softly. "So you know, then?"

"Well, there was one condition. She says that as long as I know his identity, I won't be safe. So if she was going to tell me, I wasn't going to be able to stay with her and Draco anymore. So starting this summer, I am going to live with him, and his fiance."

"You know then." I nodded, slowly."

"Who is he?"

I pulled out the small piece of parchment that my mother had sent the name on. There was no letter, only two words. A name.

Lucas stared at it for a moment. Then laid it on the table, turning to me. My mother's thin, elegant writing stared up at me, the name written as though there was trouble that hung over.

_**Harry Potter.**_

*

"We started our affair as an escape. An escape from the imploding world that surrounded us. Our connection became not an emotional one: merely a completely physical relationship. And when Pansy got pregnant, we decided that it would be best for all parties involved if she left and went back with Draco; permanently. The point is, Hermione, that Pandora is my daughter."

It was bombshell after bombshell. Silence only followed. And then I clicked my nails lightly on the table, thinking.

"Does anyone else know?" My voice was soft, an attempt at compassion.

"Ginny. That's it. She knew before I left. But everyone is going to have to find out soon... She is coming to live with us."

*

_There was once a time when I didn't mind Draco. When I actually may have liked Draco. That was a long time ago. And now my whole life with my mother, and what it could have been with the Malfoy family, was gone. Not that I necessarily minded. I had never agreed with what it was that Draco believed in. And I am sure that my mother didn't believe the same as him either; but she, much like her mother, and Draco's mother, was a slave to her family and her blood._

_In a way, I am happy that I am not going to be the same slave that my mother was, and is. I suppose that, to some degree, I have you to thank for that._

_With that I would, before I arrive, as well like to say that I sincerely hope that not only the fact that I am coming to be staying with you, never mind the simple fact of my existance, will not cause any problems for you and Miss Weasley._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Pandora Parkinson_

I watched as Ginny read the letter. She was either reading at an unbelievably slow pace, or had managed to read the whole thing through four times before she said anything. "Well. Everyone says that she is a really good kid. And Lucas certainly likes her."

"The two are _dating_, of course he likes her." My voice was cold, but I didn't mean for it to be.

"I mean, when Harry first told me, and left, I blamed her. But she wasn't even born yet. Now... I do realize that I can't blame her. It's not her fault that Harry cheated on me. If it is anyone's fault, it's his own. And I forgave him a long time ago... I am not going to let this... innocent girl ruin the relationship that me and Harry have been working on repairing for all these years."

"I thought you didn't hear from him?"

"Well... That was kind of a lie. He did ask me to not tell anyone that he had been in contact with me." She sighed, reaching for her tea. "We set a date."

It took me a long moment to realize that Ginny was referring to their _very_ extended engagement – meaning over 16 years now. It blew my mind that Ginny had waited all that time – not to mention the simple fact that Harry _had_, eventually, actually come back. "For the wedding? When?"

"August." She was avoiding looking at me, and instead her attentions were faced out the window, to where the dim, morning sunlight was creeping through the west-facing window from the east. "We've waited long enough. We didn't see the point to push it off any more, or plan some huge extravegant festival – especially in these times. Are you still going to be my Maid of Honor?"

"Of course, Gin. Why wouldn't I?"

"I think the other bridesmaids are going to be Tonks and Fleur. Harry is taking Sirius to be his best man, and Ron and Remus as his groomsmen."

"I'm sure Molly will be excited that you guys are finally making this official."

"Overjoyed," she replied, slightly sarcastically. "She thinks that Harry is... Well. He will always be like family to her. But she thinks that this war has made him... Not necessarily the man that I should marry."

"Molly will come around. We all know the soft spot she has for him."

"I hope she will." She finally turned to me, setting her tea cup down slowly and gently, barely making a sound as the porcelain hit the matching saucer. "But... What about you and Sirius? Are you guys okay?" I could tell that her concern was genuine. But I was still confused.

"What do you mean, Gin?"

"It's just that... He has been spending some awfully late nights either here or at the pub with Harry. They've both been drinking rather... intensively."

I sighed. "Well. For one, that's partially just Sirius. And we are fine... I've just been doing some... late night missions for the Ministry. I suppose he has taken to Harry's company in the meantime to keep him occupied until I come home."

Late night missions. That was quite the understatement.

"On that note. It is late. I am going to go home and see my husband."

*

**A/N – Well, here is another chapter. Took me a couple drafts to get it right with how I wanted to properly tell this part of the story, but I think this did it fairly effectively. Uhm, someone pointed out a rather STUPID mistake I made (which, in all honesty, rather pissed me off – but only because I had read and re read and triple read what I had so I could figure it out – I have made this mistake in stories before, and I didn't want to make it again.) Point is, in like the first chapter or something I wrote off Ginny _and _Ron. And then, before I brought them back up, I DID check to see if I had done that, but apparently I missed it. So I changed the first chapter – but only small, small amounts. Mainly just wrote Ron and Ginny back in. I don't even understand _why_I cut Ginny out. Sure, I don't particularly like Ron, but I do like Ginny. Anyway, point is, there was a change, here you go, and review for a new add.**

**P.S. Sorry that I took so long getting this to you. I went on a more than exciting trip to France and just got back about a week ago. Kinda sucks to see someplace like that and come back to Canada – but anyway, between the trip, preperation, and settling back down, this has gotten up for you.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

**Ciao, **

**Airyckah-Nyckole.**


	11. Author's Note

Okay guys. So here's the thing.

I have enjoyed working on this story, and I still believe in it, but it ends here. I have grown as a writer since I started this story, and am unhappy with where it is at. I haven't updated in a long time – and the reason is I have been struggling with what to do.

Well, the decision has been made. Prodigious Child is not going to be continued – at least not here.

I have been working on a "revision" of sorts – to which I have already posted a prologue, before even posting this. My hope is that I can redirect all of the readers of this story to the other one. It is the same concept, and same plot, just what I feel is more mature writing to go with it.

The story is titles Prodigy and Prophecy.

I hope to see you all on the other side.

Thanks for all of your support,

Airyckah.


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